Brushing machine



March 13, 1962 E. H. BRAUER, JR., ETAL 3,024,483

BRUSHING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 .R. R E OJK m.. MRN E EEA m VUJ O 1NA p T MJ 7T H... A

w M mm l M h. ll Illllll ETAL 3,024,483

March 13, 1962 E. H. BRAUER, JR.

BRUSHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 22, 1959 INVENTOR. BRAUER JR.

EDWIN H. GILBERT J. JANKE ATTORNEYS March 13, 1962 Filed May 22, 1959 E. H. BRAUER, JR., ETAL BRUSHI NG MACHINE 3 Sheecs--SheefI 3 fk', /6I

-6'oee INVENTOR. EDWIN H BRAUER JR.

GILBERT J. JANKE BY @je/M, W/GVf/ ATTORNEYS States atent Chime 3,924,483 Patented Mar. 13, 1.952

The present invention relates generally as indicated to a brushing machine and more particularly to a brushing machine of the type which employs a rotary brush mounted on an arbor, the `brush being adapted to be engaged with workpieces to remove foreign matter, or to perform various other surface beneficiating. effects there- It is one principal aim of the present invention to provide a brushing machine of the character indicated which is of simple construction and economical to manufactur'e.

It is another object of this invention to provide a brushing machine of the character indicated in which the brush arbor is capable of universal adjustment `so as to position the brush mounted thereon to best perform its functions on a workpiece irrespective of the size and shape of the workpiece and the location of the surfaces thereof which are to be brushed.

lt is another object of this invention to provide a brushing machine of the character indicated in which provision is made for adjustment of the brush anbor to compensate for brush wear.

It is another object of this invention to provide a brushing machine of the character indicated in which the brush arbor assembly and the drive motor therefor are mounted on a support which is disposed for rotary or swinging adjustments about angularly related axes and for lineal adjustments in angularly related :directions so that the brush may be adjustably positioned to perform its brushing operations on work in the desired direction irrespective lof the size and shape of -the work.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the `features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims', the following description and the annexed drawingssetting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of but one of the various ways in which the' principle of the invention may be employed.

ln said annexed drawings:

FlG. l is a side elevation of a brushing machine accordingto this invention, such machine being shown mounted adjacent to one of the work holding spindlesv of anfindexing-` table or the like;

FIG. 2 isa'top plan view of the instant brushingmachine;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view' similar to FIG. 1, except to larger scale, a portion of thebase of the machine having been broken away;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view as viewedfrom the top of FlG. 3, the brush drive motor having been omitted;

FIG. 5`l is an'end elevation view (with the base omitted) as viewed from the right-hand side of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is anA end elevation view of` the baseof the machine as viewed from the right-.hand side of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a cross-section view of the ratchetwrench and nut by which the brushing mechanism is adapted to be vertically adjusted; such section havingbeen'taken substantially alongthe line 7 7, FIG; 5;

IFlGr.' disy a cross-sectionview along'line 8;-8, PIG. 3 showing portions of vthemechanismsfbywhich wear'- cornpen'sation and swing adjustments of the arbor may be effected; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-section view taken substantially along the line 9--9, FIG. 8, showing the arbor swing adjustment and brush lift up mechanism.

The Brushng Machine and Work Holder Generally (FIGS. I and 2) As shown in FIGS. l and 2, the brushing machine 1 herein is a self-contained unit adapted to be mounted adjacent to an indexing work holder, such as an indexing table 2, which is equipped with a circular series of vertical rotating spindles 3' (only one of the spindles 3 being shown in FIGS. l and 2). Each vspindle 3 has an expansible chuck 4 thereon for holding a workpiece W thereon. Herein, by way of example only, the Workpiece W is shown as being a gear -which is to be de-bur'red by brushing the opposite plane faces thereof with the rotary wire brushes 5, 5 of the 'brushing machine 1. It is to be understood that additional brushing machines 1 may be mounted adjacent to -other stations of the indexing table 2 to perform brushing operations on other surfaces of the work W. Thus, for example, the brushes 5, 5 may be arranged to brush one plane face of the work W at one station, while the brushes 5, 5 at another station may be arranged to brush the opposite plane =face after the work W has been turned over at an intermediate station.

ln essence, the brushing machine 1 as illustrated in FIGS. l and 2 comprises a base 6 which has a horizontal slideway 7 thereon, said slideway 7 extending generally toward the vertical axis about which the indexing table 2 is indexed and tangentially of the Vertical axis about which the work holding spindle 3 is adapted to be driven by suitable drive means (not shown).

Horizontally adjustably mounted on the slideway 7 is the lslide member 8 which carries a vertical post 9 on which the brushing mechanism 10 is mounted for vertical adjustment axially along post 9 and Ifor horizontal swinging adjustment about the axis of post 9. Thus, the arbor 11 and brushes, 5, S thereon may, by reason of the foregoing adjustments, be moved horizontally along slideway 7 and vertically along post 9, and swung in a horizontal plane about the -vertical axis of post 9 so as to bring the brushes 5, 5 into operative engagement'with work W chucked byv chuck `4 on spindle 3.

The `arbor l1 is ioiurnalled in housing 12, the housing 12 and the brush drive motor 14 being mounted in xed relation to one another on a plate 1.5 which isr hingedly mounted on hinge pin 16 to enable take-up of'brush wear in cases where the work W has a generally vertical facer which is adapted to be contacted by peripheral portions of the brushes S, '5 that lie in a horizontal plane con taining the axis of the arbor 11. The plate' 15, as later described in detail, is also mounted for swing adjustment about'the horizontal transverse axis 17, and provision is madeV for swinging the brush arbor 11 away from the work W to dot-dash line position of FIG. 1 about the axis 17.

Driving of the brush arbor 11 isv eected by a belt' drive contained inside the guard 1S shown in FGS. l andV 2. Provision is also made for vertical adjustment of the plate 15 on which the drive motor 14 and brush4 arbor housing 12'are mounted to compensatefor wear of the brushes 5, 5 when the work W is engaged by thef top or bottom peripheral portionsv of the brushes, such adjustment preferably being eiected automatically according to the ampere draw or load on the motor'1-4.

From the foregoing it can beseen that the brushes 5, Sor other surface'beneciating implements mounted on the arbor 1lV maybe presented to the WorkW at any of alirnitlessl number of different-positions as dictated bythe size and shape of the work W, the disposition of the surfaces thereof which are to be brushed, the desired directoin of brushing, etc.

By way of summary of the foregoing adjustments, the brushes 5, 5 herein may be positioned as aforesaid in a limitless number of different positions, to wit:

(I) Horizontal adjustment of the brushing mechanism along the slideway 7 of the base;

(Il) Vertical adjustment of the brushing mechanism 10 along the post 9 of the horizontal slide 8;

(III) Swing adujstment of the brushing mechanism 1i! about the axis ofthe post 9;

(IV) Swing adjustment of the brushing mechanism 10 about a horizontal axis 17;

(V) Vertical adjustment of the arbor-motor subassembly of the brushing mechanism 1i) to compensate for brush wear;

(VI) Generally horizontal adjustment of the arbormotor sub-assembly about the hinge pin 16 also to compensate for brush wear; and 1 (VIl) Brush lift-up about the horizontal axis 17.

The Brush Arbor and Drive Therefor (FIGS. I, 2, 3, 5 and 8) The brush arbor 11 is journalled as by anti-friction bearings 20 in the tubular housing 12 which is ixedly mounted on the plate 15 as aforesaid. The brush arbor 11 is adapted to have one or more rotary brushes 5, 5 mounted adjacent one end thereof and has a pulley 21 keyed thereon adjacent the other end. Also mounted on the plate 15 in a position beneath the housing 12 is the electric drive motor 14 having a pulley 23 keyed on the motor drive shaft 24. Trained over the pulleys 21 and 23 is a drive belt 25 to transmit driving torque from motor 14 to arbor 11, a belt tensioning device 26 being mounted on the tubular housing 12 adjacent the pulley 21. The device 26 is provided with a roller 27 that engages a portion of the belt between the pulleys 21 and 23.

The drive motor 14 and brush arbor housing 12 are mounted in fixed position with respect to each other on the plate 15 so that driving torque will be transmitted to the brush arbor 11 in any of the adjusted positions of the plate 15 and brushing mechanism 10.

The adjustments of the brushing mechanism 10 and the details of the structures for effecting the same will now be described in the same order as enumerated above.

(I) Horzonlal Adjustment of the Brushing Mechanism (FIGS. I to 4 and 6) As best shown in FIG. 6, the base 6 of the brushing machine 1 is of generally L-shaped form and has secured across the top thereof, in horizontal position, a round shaft or slideway 7, the opposite end portions of the shaft 7 being formed with iiats engaging corresponding flat faces on the base 6. The shaft 7 is secured in place against rotation and axial movement as by means of the screws 30.

The slide 8 is provided with split clamps 31 at its ends and is horizontally adjustable along the shaft 7, fine adjustments being made by turning the screw 32 which has threaded engagement with the slide 8 and which is rotatably, but `axially fixedly, mounted on the base 6. Thus, when the clamps 31 are losened, the slide 8 may be moved horizontally toward the right or left as viewed in FIG. 3, by turning the screw 32 in one direction or the other.

The slide 8 is integrally formed with a vertical socket 34 for the lower end portion of the post 9, the bottom end of the post 9 being engaged with the shoulder 35 in the socket. The post 9 is held against rotation about its axis by the lock-screw 36 which has its inner end engaged in a recess formed in the post.

The lower end of the post socket 34 is formed with a slot 37 which constitutes a keyway that has sliding engagement along the horizontal key 38 secured on the hori 4 zontally extending leg of the L-shaped base 6. Thus, the post 9 is firmly supported in vertical position in the s ocket 34 for movement horizontally in unison with the slide 8.

(II Vertical Adjustment 0f Brushing Mechanism (FIGS. 1 to5 and 7) The base portion 40 of the brushing mechanism 10 has an opening -therethrough which is a slide tit on the upper threaded portion of the post 9 and is provided with split clamps 41 at its upper and lower ends.

In threaded engagement with the post 9 is a nut 42 which, through the thrust bearing 43, engages the lower end of the base portion 40 whereby, when the nut 42 is rotated in one direction (with the clamps 41 loosened), the brushing mechanism 10 as a whole will be raised vertically along the post 9. Conversely, when the nut 42 is turned in the opposite direction the brushing mechanism will move downwardly along the post 9 by gravity.

In order to facilitate such rotation of the nut 42 it has mounted thereon a ratchet wrench 45 which includes a ring 46 rotatable on the nut 42 and retained thereon by the retainer ring 47 secured to nut 42, and a radially extending handle 48. The periphery of the nut 42 inside the ring 46 of the wrench 45 is formed with a series of axial grooves which form teeth 49 engaged by a reversia ble spring actuated ratchet plunger 50, as best shown in FIG. 7. Thus, when the wrench handle 48 is swung in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 7, the end of the plunger 50 will engage the side of one of the teeth 49, whereby the nut 42 will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction to lift the brushing mechanism 10 through the thrust bearing 43. The ratchet plunger 50 is formed with a neck 51 and a spring 52 around the neck is compressed between a shoulder of the plunger 50 and an abutment member 53 to tend constantly to urge the plunger 50 radially inward. There is a head 54 xed to the plunger 50 provided with a cross pin 56, the ends of which are engaged in a slot 57 extending diametrically across the radially outer end of the handle 4S. Thus, by pulling outwardly on the head 54 of the plunger 50, the inner end of the plunger 50 will be withdrawn radially outward from the grooved section of the nut 42 and the ends of the cross pin 56 will be pulled out clear of the slot 57, whereby the head of the plunger 50 may be rotated 180 to reverse the position of the leading edge thereof. With the plunger 50 thus reversed, it will click over the teeth 49 when the wrench 45 is turned in a counterclockwise direction and will have driving engagement with the side of one of the teeth 49, when the wrench 45 is rotated in a clockwise direction. Thus, the nut 42 will be rotated in a clockwise direction to allow the base portion 40 of the brushing mecahnism 10 to descend by gravity to a desired adjusted position.

With the base portion 40 of the brushing mechanism 1G in desired vertically adjusted position the clamps 41 may be tightened to lock the same in such adjusted position.

(III) Swing Adjuslmerzl of the Brushing Mechanism About the Axis of the Post (FIGS. I to 5 and 7) As previously mentioned, the base portion 40 of the brushing mechanism 10 has an opening therethrough which is a slide tit on the post 9, and because the post 9 is round, as is the opening in base portion 40, the entire brushing mechanism `1G may be swung completely around the axis of the post to any desired position and locked thereat by means of the clamps 41.

(IV) Swing Adjusimelzi of the Brush Arbor About the Horizontal Axis 17 (FIGS. I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9) As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, the base portion 40 of the brushing mechanism 10 has a horizontally extending shaft 60 journalled therein, one end of the shaft 60 having a worm wheel 61 keyed thereon and the other end having a slide sub-assembly 62 fixed thereto to which the aforesaid arbor a'nddrivemotor supportingfplate' 15 is secured in a--man'ner hereinafter described.

Rotation of the arbor-motori sub-assembly on platelS of brushing mechanism about the axis 17 of the shaft 60 is effected as by means -rof the rotary worm 63 which, when rotated in one direction, has its head 64 in abutting engagement with the `base portion 4i) of the brushing mechanism, whereby the worm wheel 61v and shaft 6i) will be turned to swing the plate and the brush arbor 11 thereon to any desired position about the axis 17.

The slide plate 65 of the slide sub-assembly 62 is `formed with a pair ofarcuate slots 66 therethrough and when the brush arbor 11 has been adjusted as desired about the axis 17 of theV shaft 60, the screws 67 will be threaded into the'base portion 40 with their shanks extending through the aforesaid arcuate slots 66, paired threaded holes as shown being provided in the base portion 40 so that the screws 67 may thus be inserted irrespective of the rotary position of the slide plate 65. These screws 67 `are preferably shoulder screws (or are ordinary screws not fully tightened) so that the slide plate 65 may be actuated to lift up the arbor 11 from the work W as described under the heading VII.

(V) Vertical Ad jusfment of Brush Arbor t0 Compensate for Brush Wear (FIGS. 1 to 5 and 8) As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the base portion 40 of the brushing mechanism 10 has an upstanding bracket 70 to which a reversible electric motor 71 is secured, the motor 71 being provided with a. right angle drive head 72 terminating in a bevel pinion 73 which meshes with a bevel gear 74 keyed on the upper end of a rotatable, but axially fixed, screw 75. The lower end of the screw 75 has threaded engagement with the nut 76 of a dovetail slide 77 to which the arbor and drive motor mounting plate 15 is secured. Said dovetail slide 77 is formed with a dovetail groove which fits over a complementary dovetail tongue formed on the `aforesaid plate 65.

Thus, by energizing the motor 71 in one direction the brush arbor 11 may be lowered with respect to the work W to compensate for wear of the brushes 5, 5 and, of course, the energization of the motor 71 may be automatically controlled in accordance with the pressure between the work W and the brushes 5, 5. One manner of effecting such automatic wear compensation is disclosed in the copending application of Lyndon C. Cole, Ser. No. 679,720, led August 22, 1957, in which the brush wear compensation is effected in accordance with the load or ampere draw of the brush drive motor. Thus, the instant setup will be such that as the brushes 5, 5 wear, the torque load on the drive motor 14 will become less, as will its ampere draw, and, therefore, such decrease in ampere draw of the drive motor 14 will energize the wear compensator motor 71 until the ampere draw of the brush drive motor increases to a predetermined value. There is mounted at the upper end of the screw shaft 75, a rotary switch 78 or the like, which is effective lto determine the direction of rotation of the motor 71 since, in some cases, the arbor 11 may have to be moved upwardly to compensate for brush wear.

(VI) Horizontal Wear Adjustment About the Horizontal Hinge Pin 16 (FIGS. 1 t0 5) The brush arbor housing 12 and drive motor 14 are mounted as aforesaid, on a plate y15, and said plate at its lower end is connected -by the hinge pin 16 to the dovetail slide member 77. The bracket 70 aforesaid has a horizontally extending adjusting screw 80 rotatably, but axially xedly, mounted thereto and engaged with said adjusting screw 80 is the nut 81 which is pivotally carried adjacent the upper end of said plate 15, whereby, when the screw 8) is rotated in one direction, the plate 15 may be swung about the axis of pin 16 from the solid line position of FIG. 5 to the dot-dash line position to compensate for wear of the brushes 5, 5 when the latter are arfrangedto operate onfworksurfaces disposed in abbi-iz`ontal plane" containing theaxis f theia'rbor 11.-

If desired, this wearcompensation lniayr be automti' ically eected in-response-to the ampere' draai/"ofithe brush drive motor 14 whichin turn controls energization of a wear compensator motor such as motor 71. It isto` be noted that the axis of the hinge pinl is located'for-- wardly ofthe initial position of the axis of the'brush arbor 11 when a newbrush 5 (or brushes) ismounted thereon, whereas,I the arbor axis will be disposed forwardly of the hinge pin-axis when the plate 15 has been' adjusted to compensate for a fully worn brush.v Accordingly, the `arc of swinging of the brush arbor 11 in making such horizontal adjustments for wear is nearly a straight horizontal lineso that the position of the-periphery of the brush 5 is not moved vertically with respect to the Work engaged thereby, except for the Very slight amount by which the arc deviates from a horizontal straight line.

Obviously, both horizontal .and vertical brush wear adjustments may be made so that the resultant is perpendicular to the work surface contacted by the periphery of the brush.

(VII) Brush Lift-Up to Clear the Work (FIGS. l to 5, 8 and 9) In the operation of the brushing machine 1 it is occasionally desired to move the brushes 5, 5 out of engagement with the work W either to examine the work W after it has been brushed or to unload and load work W onto and from the spindle 3. In order to conveniently effect such lift-up there is rotatably connected to the head 64 of the adjusting worm 63, the piston rod 85 of a double acting pneumatic cylinder 86. Regardless of the position in which the arbor 11 has been adjusted about the axis 17 of the shaft 60. when the piston on piston rod is moved to the right in the cylinder 86, as viewed in FIGS. 8 and 9, the worm 63 will be thereby pulled axially toward the right to thus rotate the worm wheel 61 and shaft 60 in la direction to lift the brushes 5, 5 upwardly out of engagement with the work W, such position being represented by dot-dash lines in FIG. 1. When the piston in the cylinder 86 is urged toward the left, the arbor 11 will be swung `down to its preset posi'- tion wherat the head 64 of the worm 63 abuts the side of the base portion 4t# of the brushing mechanism 10.

Summary From the foregoing description, it is clear that the present brushing machine 1 is of simple, compact construction which is economical to manufacture, which is easy to adjust to effect brushing of work in a desired direction irrespective of the position, the size, and the shape of the work, and which is inexpensive to maintain in proper working condition due to provision of brush wear compensators and to ready accessibility for replacement of brushes. Although the arbor 11 is herein shown with brushes 5, 5 mounted thereon, it is to be understood that other surface treating tools may be used for polishing, abrading, or like operations on work surfaces.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. In a brushing machine, the combination of a powerdriven rotary brush arbor adapted to mount a brush thereon for contacting work to be brushed; means supporting said arbor for swinging movement about an axis that is angularly related to the axis of said arbor; a worm wheel operatively connected to said arbor to so swing the latter responsive to rotation of said worm wheel; a rotary worm operatively engaged with said worm wheel to rotate the latter; means supporting said worm for rotation and axial reciprocation including stop means effective to arrest axial movement of said worm in one direction whereby when Said worm is rotated in one direction said worm wheel and arbor are turned about such axis thus to position the brush to contact the work; and Worm reciprocating means operatively connected to said worm to move the latter axially in the opposite direction thus to turn said worm wheel and arbor in a direction such that the brush is moved away from the work.

2. 'Ihe brushing machine of clairn 1 wherein said worm and the reciprocating member of said worm reciprocating means are axially fixed for reciprocating movement but allowing rotary movement of said worm with out effecting rotation of said reciprocating member.

3. The brushing machine of claim l wherein said worm reciprocating means comprises a piston-cylinder assembly of which the reciprocable component is connected to said worm.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,886,699 Larson Nov. 8, 1932 2,513,213 Schick June 27, 1950 2,707,851 Strong May 10, 1955 2,787,089 Hawkinson Apr. 2, 1957 2,881,570 Moore et al. Apr. 14, 1959 

